Former US President Donald Trump has said he didn’t do the things he’s accused of in federal court. He will have another court hearing on August 28th, as scheduled by Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya for 10 a.m. ET. The hearing will take place before US District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
The government is okay with any of the potential hearing days, but they prefer the earliest one. On the other hand, the Trump team requested August 28th, the latest option. The judge told Trump that if he couldn’t attend the hearing due to his schedule, Judge Chutkan would allow him not to appear.
Prosecutors from special counsel Jack Smith’s office decided not to keep Trump in detention before the trial. Instead, they released him with minimal conditions, like not communicating with any witnesses except through his attorney.
Trump was indicted on Tuesday as part of an investigation into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election that led to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. The charges against him include conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
Donald Trump Pleads Not Guilty
Trump pleaded “not guilty” to all the counts in the indictment when asked by Magistrate Judge Upadhyaya.
Security was increased around the US courthouse in Washington, with some streets closed and tow trucks removing parked cars. The courthouse is close to the US Capitol, where Trump had urged his supporters to prevent the certification of Biden’s win, leading to the Capitol riot.
Despite the criminal charges, Trump remains the leading Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential nomination, and he could face Biden again. He is also facing another state trial in New York in March 2024 on different charges related to his real-estate business. Additionally, he is set to stand trial in May on accusations of illegally retaining classified documents after leaving office.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, around half of Republicans would not support Donald Trump if he were convicted of a crime. This indicates that his legal troubles could pose significant risks to his potential 2024 presidential bid. The poll, conducted over two days before Trump’s recent court appearance, asked respondents if they would vote for Trump as president in 2024 if he were “convicted of a felony by a jury.” Among Republicans, 45% said they would not support him, which is an increase from 35% who said they would still back him. The rest of the respondents said they were unsure.
Similarly, when asked if they would vote for Trump if he were “currently serving a prison sentence,” 52% of Republicans said they would not vote for him, while 28% said they would still support him.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him and has repeatedly claimed that the investigations are part of a “witch hunt” to sabotage his political career. He is currently facing federal charges related to his alleged involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election and separate charges in New York state court related to hush money payments to Stormy Daniels and in federal court related to the alleged withholding of classified documents after leaving office.
